


Line Dance My Life Away

by Beth9501



Category: The Office (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Country & Western, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Flirting, Drunken Kissing, Drunkenness, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Walk Into A Bar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:08:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23995777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth9501/pseuds/Beth9501
Summary: An AU look at the country sides of JAM.
Relationships: Pam Beesly & Jim Halpert, Pam Beesly/Jim Halpert
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

“I’m going to go grab another drink!” Pam half yelled into Isabel’s ear as she sauntered off to the bar. A 90’s Toby Keith song blared over the stereo, eliciting cheers from everyone around as the next line dance began.

Pam had had one hell of a week at work and was loving every minute of this out on the town, living up the single life, Friday night she was having with her friend. It had been a month or so since she’d broken up with her most recent “boyfriend’ and she was ready to get back out there and see what kind of men she might run into this time. She wasn’t looking for anything serious, just someone for the night. This country bar would do just the trick, at least that what Isabel thought when she had convinced her to come out. Not that it would have really taken a lot to get Pam out on the weekends. She had just been a bit hung up on her last boyfriend and had been feeling down the last few weekends. As Isabel so kindly and consistently reminded her, “you’re young! You need to enjoy life before you can’t anymore”. She wasn’t wrong, neither was Pam. It just was...

The first time Pam had come to this hole in the wall was for her 21st birthday. She’d had the time of her life and so she came here every few weeks and quickly learned all the dances to the country songs and befriended the bar tenders. She was able to get in free on ladies night and the bartenders usually slipped in more alcohol to her drinks if she got something fancy like a jack and coke. 

The bar had all the fun-loving, cheesy, and grimey features of a typical country bar and she couldn’t get enough. A mechanical bull? Check. Line dancing? Check. Enough beer and whiskey to quench her thirst? Check and check. All she needed now was some sort of city to country, trying to fake it enough, kind of cowboy to sweep her off her feet for the night and help her forget about the 9-5, Monday through Friday bullshit.

When Pam and Isabel came out here, they went all out. Tonight Pam had dressed like her normal country bar persona that she worked on perfecting the last few years. This included the standard Daisy Dukes, cowboy boots, and a cut off shirt. Was it too much? Absolutely. Did she care? Hardly. It did the job of picking guys up and that was the sole purpose of it. Tonight’s goal was no different from every other night she waltzed through those doors. Get drunk, dance, have fun, get laid. She sometimes felt crass about her attitude towards these types of nights. Then she’d remember what she put up with at work and reasoned with herself that she deserved this.

For the Pam everyone saw at work vs the Pam who was at the bar were like night and day versions of each other. During the work week she would wear ill-fitting skirts and button ups to hide what her body actually looked like, but on weekends such as this one, she would quite literally let her hair down and show herself off more. This made her feel powerful and who was she to deny herself that kind of feeling? Thankfully the bar was on the outskirts of town and was a place that Kelly had deemed, “lame”. If that meant no one from work would show up, then she was perfectly fine with that.

After standing in a crowd four people deep, Pam finally elbowed her way to the bar looking at   
John, her favorite bartender, with an exasperated look in her wide eyes. Leaning over to hear him ask if she was adding her drink to a tab, she felt someone’s presence next to her and had the normal reaction to put some distance between them. Annoyed at the person in her personal space, she glanced over, then found herself doing a double take.

This guy was tanned, tall, muscular, and wore well-fitting jeans and a nice plaid shirt to complete the look. Pam was smitten. Yes, he would do for tonight’s “hit it and quit it” plan. He was just the type of person she was looking for. Rugged enough to keep her interest, normal enough to keep her from feeling threatened.

The stranger ordered his beer and kept his eyes trained on the tv playing above the bar, an 80’s rodeo rerun playing to direct his attention. Pam noticed the way his eyes would scrunch a bit when something wild would happen. She wasn’t actually watching the screen to know what was happening because she found him more interesting. She watched the way his lips drank the cold liquid and that feeling alone gave her chills. She then realized how into this random guy she was and they had never met, never talked, nothing. What a weird feeling.

Pam tried clearing her throat to one, see if he would turn to look at her and two, get her back into the right headspace to lock him down for the night before some other country chick wannabe grabbed him. Sadly, there was no reaction. She tried commenting on the rodeo and the barrel racing taking place to see if she could rev up a conversation. Zero movement in this situation. It was then Pam realized she was taking on more of her work place Pam persona than the one she tried to perfect during the weekends which was the sexy, confident, “I’m actually an amazing flirt” version of herself. Taking a deep breath, she moved towards him, elbowing him in the ribs just a bit to get his attention. 

“Howdy cowboy,” She flirted, “how’s the show?”

Trying to amp herself up, she confidently flipped her hair behind her shoulder.

Moving his head towards her, but keeping his eyes on the tv the handsome man replied, “not too bad”. He finally glanced over at her and did a double take himself, his mouth curling slightly on the right side. With that, he turned his body towards hers and leaned on the bar slightly, getting the stink eye from the patron on the other side of him. 

Pam couldn’t help thinking to himself that the warm glow of the beer signs really made him look attractive. Maybe it was the whiskey she’d drank. Maybe it was just him.

“My apologies, miss, hello.” He smiled fully at her now, his eyes creasing where it looked like he’d spent a lot of days out in the sun as a kid.

Miss? Damn. An actual gentleman. This could be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

“You come here often?” He questioned her, looking at her with an amused expression on his face.

Channeling her inner flirt, Pam reached out to his arm and let her fingers softly graze his forearm. “Sometimes” she replied slyly, letting her smile raise at the corner.

Something shifted in the strangers eyes, his pupils getting darker. He cleared his throat breaking eye contact with her for a moment.

Returning his gaze towards her, “Well, I’ve never seen you here before and I definitely would have noticed you. Where ya been hiding?” His intense stare bore right into her and she started to feel uneasy with losing ground in leading this romantic albeit sexual endeavor.

He tilted his head to the right slightly awaiting her response, but butterflies were developing in her belly. Pam wasn’t sure how to take this interaction. She was quickly losing control the longer his eyes felt like they searched her soul. Who was this mystery man and why was he so good looking and why was he making her feel all nervous all of a sudden? 

Breaking eye contact herself to glance back at Isabel who looked shocked herself, she glanced down before looking up through her eyelashes at him before responding “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Shit, that was lame, she thought to herself, mentally kicking herself. When did flirting become hard? She suddenly felt like she was back in high school flirting with the captain of the football team to test herself seeing if she could even do it. She’d been successful and dated him for years before moving on with her life in college.

Thankfully the stranger just chuckled and looked her up and down slowly before replying, “Yeah, I would. What are you drinking?”

A man who openly checked her out and wanted to buy her a drink? She was still on track for tonight’s plan.

Figuring alcohol would help quell her sudden nerves she replied sweetly, “Whatever you’re having.”

____________________________________________________________________________

Pam was happy that Isabel had found someone to talk to which made her feel less bad about accidentally ditching her to talk to this stranger. An hour or so had passed and they were now seated next to one another in a corner booth. At this point they were 5 or 6 beers in (Pam had lost track, she just knew that this man was getting more attractive by the drink and she didn’t know how that was even possible, yet here she was witnessing it). She felt his arm lightly squeeze her shoulder and it made her shiver.

Seemingly pretending like he didn’t notice her body’s reaction to him, he continued their ongoing discussion. “So, wait, if you had to choose between streaking outside and no one seeing you or skinny dipping in front of a crowd, you’d still choose skinny dipping”? He questioned, clearly entertained by her ridiculous reasons she had been outlining for him the last ten minutes.

“Listen, like I already said... at least with skinny dipping, I have control over this situation. With streaking, there’s still that potential of getting caught”. Pam said, a laugh in her, continually getting louder by the second, voice.

“I can’t tell if you’re an exhibitionist or calculated. Either way, I like it.” He responded before hiccuping and winking at her.

The alcohol was making her distracted and direct with him in conversation and she was trying not to lose her footing in her plan. Pam looked away towards the dance floor and saw everyone enjoying their time, especially Isabel who looked like she’d also found someone for the night. Pam wanted to start speeding tonight up and quickly asked him to dance. Before he had even replied, she was pushing him out of the booth and wrapping her hand around his. The sudden warmth and pressure brought her back to reality a bit.

The opening chords to Streets of Bakersfield started playing through the speakers as she pulled him onto the dance floor twirling in his arms before they followed everyone else’s movements. Pam’s hips dipping lower than those around hers as she gave the man flirty eyes.

I came here in looking for somethin'  
I couldn't find anywhere else  
Well, I don't want to be nobody,  
Just want a chance to be myself.

Before long, he grabbed her around the waist, his large hands splayed across the flat of her back and pulled her flush to his body. He leaned down and whispered into her ear, his words slurring slightly, “You are sexy as hell. The way you move those hips is just…” 

At that, Pam turned around so her back was to his chest and started gyrating her hips against his, her arm reaching up and back to grasp behind his neck and pulled it down.

His hands gripped her hips and began kissing her neck as they swayed to the music enjoying their own little world.

Closing her eyes, she let his arms wrap around her, missing the feeling of a man’s arms making her feel safe and worshipped.

Multiple songs played through before he spun her around, letting her twirl again before he steadied her and had her face him. 

Before she could say anything, he grabbed the sides of her face and kissed her deeply.

Pam was feeling drunk on this, the alcohol feeling like it was no longer affecting her. 

This kiss was just….wow. 

As if intentionally played, This Kiss started playing and all the couples around them danced together having long forgotten the line dances and only having eyes for each other.

Pam wasn’t positive how long they stood in the middle of the bar making out, but at some point, she’d registered that the hands on her face had moved, one on her bare lower back and one tangled in the lose curls she’d styled earlier in the night.

He kissed a trail from her mouth to her ear before his husky voice took over, “You wanna get out of here, baby?”

All she could do was attempt to catch her breath, nod her head yes, and find Isabel to give her a look that said, “See ya later”.

The walked out hand in hand, his thumb running hard circles along her wrist. This movement made her feel out of breath once again.

Once they reached the cool, fresh air outside of the bar, Pam pulled him into the alley, pushed him up against the brick building, and kissed him hard letting her hands roam from his stomach up to his chest. He overpowered her though and moved them so he trapped her, kissing her hard enough again that she started to feel woozy. She ignored the feeling though enjoying what was happening before her. 

Breathless she asked him, “what did you say your name was again?” 

“It’s Jim. What’s yours?” He asked, nuzzling his nose against her cheek and his breath hot on her ear, making her body feel chilled.

“It’s Pa…” Before she could get her name fully out, the woozy feeling came back and intense nausea took over. The world went black as she threw up the now acidic tasting beer all over the mystery man named Jim.


	3. Chapter 3

Jim sobered up quickly as he held Pam’s hair back as she emptied her stomach.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said soothingly while rubbing her back as she let it all out in the dark alley.

“Shit” she muttered as she felt tears threatening to spill over.

“It’s okay” he repeated, looking around to see if anyone else was witnessing this. “Why don’t we get you a cab and get you home, I’ll go with you and make sure you’re safe”.

“You really don’t have to do that.” Pam replied, wiping her mouth with one hand and her eyes with the other, her mascara now smudged.

“It’s no problem at all”. Jim shrugged.

Shivering in the cold now, her body recovering from the shock, she hugged herself close and was beginning to feel dumb for thinking she could just come to a bar, hook up with a random guy, and dress like this. Who did she think she was anyway?

“Okay, let’s go.” Pam replied weakly, starting for the street and pulling her phone out to call a cab.

“Woah there, skippy. Let me take care of it”. Jim said catching her hand in between his while continuing to rub those hypnotizing circles into her wrist. He pulled his phone out and called the cab company out before continuing with her, “They’ll be here in five”.

They were in a comfortable silence for both the duration of the wait and ride back to Pam’s apartment.However, her embarrassment was increasing by the second, but she was trying to make that a little known fact. She felt the world spinning and could feel waves of nausea coursing through her. She tried to also keep that hush hush.

When they pulled up to her apartment, she got out and turned back to him, both of her arms across her stomach, feeling self-conscious outside the safety net of the bar and under the literal spotlight glow from the street lamp. 

Suddenly shy, she looked towards a tree rustling in the wind down the street before moving her eyes back to him as he moved out of the cab. “You really don’t have to take care of me…”

“Yeah, I know, but I kind of feel responsible for this and heck, you’re still stumbling even though you’ve pretty much emptied your stomach.” Jim said while rubbing his neck and shutting the door.

Turning on her heels and suddenly losing her balance, Pam tripped forward and found herself in Jim’s arms who were picking her back up. 

“This is exactly why I think you need my help.” His smile made her lose her train of thought. Not that the alcohol wasn’t doing enough of that.

Pam felt another wave of nausea and she was pretty positive that if she acted fast she could get into her house and throw up in the toilet before having him witness it again like the first time.

“Okay, come on” she rushed and made her way towards her door as quickly as she could, unlocking it and leaving it open before opening the door closest to her bedroom. 

She made it to the toilet in just enough time. She felt tears streaming down her face as the poison emptied from her body. She felt Jim kneel on the floor next to her, rubbing her back again and being outright loving.

In between rounds, she was able to identify how odd that was ...loving gestures after an attempted one night stand hookup? Weird.

After twenty minutes, Pam leaned her head against the cabinets, the world no longer spinning and realizing she was past the worst of it.

Jim had been there the entire time whispering kind things to her and rubbing her back.

She turned towards him and saw that he was no longer there. She pondered when he left, but reasoned that no one in their right mind would be interested in sticking around for something as gross as this. 

Groaning to herself, she leaned back and was pleasantly surprised to see him walking through the door with a glass of water and some aspirin.

Pam laughed a bit, “One, thank you. Two, people usually get weirded out when you go through their medicine cabinets.” 

Crouching next to her, chuckling softly Jim replied, “Yeah, but this seemed like one of those exception moments.” He let his hand caress her cheek a bit.

Pam just stared at him bewildered a bit, truly confused by the stranger's generosity.

So she asked him, “I’m curious, but why are you being so nice to me? We barely know each other. I mean, I kind of feel like I’ve known you forever, but still, we just met 5 hours ago.”

Jim dropped his hand from her face and frowned a bit, “Yeah, you’re right, but I feel like we’ve known each other forever also. There’s something here and I don’t know, but I like it and want to explore it. You seem special.”

Pam’s face turned even more confused as she processed this information. She had gone to the bar to find a hookup, threw up on him instead, and….Oh God.

“Shit, I threw up on you. I am so sorry, let me go get you something else to wear so you don’t have to sit in that.”

Gingerly standing up, she made her way to her bedroom where she still had some of her ex boyfriend’s clothes. She figured Jim would be the same size and gathered them up to take them to him.

She found him in her living room taking a look through her records. 

“You have quite the country collection here.” He said glancing from the albums up to her, then placing one on the record player on the table.

“Here are some clothes,” She reached her hands out shyly, “I’ll be right back”.

Pam went into her room and locked the door, leaning her back against the door. She felt drained, needed some water, yet was wide awake. There was a cute guy in her apartment who was nice too. This seemed like more than a one night stand thing. Thinking to herself, she thought this night couldn’t get more awkward so might as well try to get to know him.

She changed quickly and found Jim with his back to her, swaying slowly to the Kenny Chesney quietly playing.

She passed him quickly, getting another glass of water from the kitchen and bringing some for him. She stood next to him and let herself sway to the music.

Without turning her body towards him she began talking. “You speak differently when you’re not in a country bar…”

She saw his smile turn up in the corner as he replied, “So do you.”

Pam laughed, “Yeah it sort of goes with the whole territory, you know? I’m not that country really. I grew up here. I just really like country music. It reminds me of summer and feeling like nothing can go wrong. I guess it makes me feel like I’m a teenager and all is well in the world.”

Turning his body towards her and grabbing her hand softly before kissing it, “I grew up here too. I think we went to the bar looking for similar things, but I’m actually happy with this change of pace. I must admit, I sound really stupid when I’m drunk so I might have been trying to impress you.”

Squeezing his hand and narrowing her eyes a bit, “Might have been trying? Or definitely trying because it’s seemed like you really liked me before I practically died in front of you.”

“Ha, okay. Fair point. I think you’re cute. I was really trying. I do want to say though, I genuinely came here to make sure you were safe, not to hookup or anything. In the meantime, if you’d like to dance, this song is nice and you look really cute right now.” Jim said gently pulling her towards his body.

Blushing, Pam let him pull her close, but she had to laugh a bit. She had changed into an oversized t-shirt, sweatpants, and fuzzy socks. She was officially the opposite of who she was at the bar and he still thought she was cute? He’s seen her throw up, there was no way. 

“You look really cute too”. She replied, placing her head on his chest and for the first time in a long time felt safe and secure.

____________________________________________________________________________

Shooting up in bed the next morning, the previous night’s activities came rushing back to her. Her head felt like it weighed 1000 pounds. She groaned, covering her eyes from the bright sunlight sweeping her room.

Her senses were waking slower as it took her a minute to figure out what she smelled, but it smelled greasy. 

She checked her hair and brushed her teeth before shuffling out of her room to find Jim in her kitchen whipping up some bacon and eggs. 

“Good morning, sleepy head!” Jim exclaimed.

Clearly confused by what was taking place in her kitchen Pam looked up at him. “I would have thought you’d left by now,” seeing the clock nearing 9:30am. 

“Well, I just woke up about 20 minutes ago myself. Which, by the way, that couch of yours is exceptionally comfortable. Thank you for letting me stay here last night.” He replied.  
Ah yes, the memories from late last night came back to her now, fresher in her memory that the memories she was still trying to piece together from before she’d come home. 

They’d danced in her living room for a while and talked about everything. She learned that he worked for a paper company, had gone to Penn State, had broken up with his most recent girlfriend two months prior, and really liked country music.

Pam had told him what her original plan was for the night and remembered his sweet laugh when he told her she wasn’t as slick as she thought, but that he thought she was attractive.

Turning back towards the plate that was being pushed towards her, she thanked him before digging in.

A bit later and some pleasant small talk later, she thanked him again and he decided that it was time to leave.

She walked him towards the door, suddenly getting nervous. She wasn’t sure if she’d see him again, although hoping. They’d exchanged numbers, but just in case, she leaned up to kiss him.

Jim deepened the kiss and the kiss turned heated quickly, the attraction from last night having outweighed their drunken senses.

He ran his arms up and down hers, pulling her close to him. Pam responded by licking his lower lip, waiting for him to open up.

When he did, she heard him groan a bit and kiss her more feverently.

“Pam…” he started.

“Do you want…” She said at the same time.

They smiled against each other’s lips before he replied, “Yes”.

She led him to her bedroom, both of them leaving a trail of clothes in their wake. 

Their hands everywhere all at once and their breath becoming more labored as they tried to do as much as possible in a short period of time.

Reaching her bed, he gently took the last item of clothing off her before nudging her down on the bed.

Pam scooted back, her head hitting her headboard and she watched him crawl on the bed towards her.

She pulled the sheets over them as he settled on top of her. He left a trail of kisses from her mouth down her neck and belly and down one leg and back up the other side.

He came to rest his mouth by her ear and told her how beautiful she was and felt his morning stubble brush against her cheek. 

Pam shuddered and felt tears welling in her eyes. This was becoming an emotional experience and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that. What normally would have been a one night stand, the guy leaves at 4am, and leaves her be, had turned into the opposite of what she wanted. Or what she thought she wanted.

Pushing him off her, she took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, but I think you should go…” Pam couldn’t make eye contact with him.

“Pam...are you sure? Is everything okay?” Jim questioned, concerned, but pushing off of her.

“Yes, I just...this just...this isn’t a good idea. Please leave.”

Jim got up and off the bed, turning towards her before leaving the room to gather his clothes.

“Please…” she said with a sense of plea in her voice.

“Okay, I will. You know where to reach me...if you need....or want to. It was nice to meet you” Jim replied before turning around. He didn’t sound mad, just disappointed.

Pam waited until she heard the front door click and cried until her head throbbed so bad she fell back asleep. 

She wasn’t used to someone caring and she didn’t know what to do with this. Especially over night. That just wasn’t realistic. That was weird. Pam was a one night stand girl now. She was no longer a “someone’s girlfriend” kind of girl.

She’d deal with it later.


	4. Chapter 4

Pam woke up again that afternoon around 3:00pm, her stomach growling and her head still throbbing as it reminded her of poor decisions. It took her a few minutes to realize where she was and what had happened as her body woke up again. Opening her mouth to yawn she recognized that her mouth felt like sandpaper and she reached over to grab the glass of water on her bedside table that only had a sip or two left.

Rolling her eyes, she tried to forget the person who had left it there. The really nice, kind, way too good for her person. She had a funny feeling that there was more to him than she realized, but didn’t care to explore it at this point in her life. 

However, she’d never seen him around town so she found it extremely unlikely that she’d see him anytime soon, if ever again. She had met guys at the bar before. She understood that they would say anything to get into her pants. If it meant lying to her about where they were from to save face, well, she was used to it. It wouldn’t have been the first time someone told her that they were from Scranton when really they were there for a lame corporate retreat for the weekend.

Sprawled out under the post-drunken night out, sweat soaked sheets, she stared up at her fan. Watching the blades spin, she willed the headache to go away and prayed someone would magically know she was hungry and bring her food. She figured staring at a fast moving machine was the opposite of what she should be doing so she grabbed the Ibuprofen and took the last sip from the glass.

Her stomach grumbled again. She guessed if Jim had stayed here he would have brought her food, but he was just a random guy. Nothing to write home about. Okay, that was another lie she was telling herself, but still...self preservation!

She was mad at herself for letting him stay on her couch last night, figuring he would have left without a trace and she wouldn’t be lying here now thinking of how his hands gripped her hips last night or how his stubble felt pressed against her cheek. She probably wouldn’t have sighed softly to herself thinking of everything else that could have happened. She now knew what he looked like naked and life would have been significantly easier had she not.

Snapping back into reality, she groaned and maneuvered her way out of her bed, focusing on the way her feet felt when they hit the carpet and the way her limbs cracked. She stripped the bed linens to put in the washer and then went to start the dishes left over from the morning. She figured that the best way to get over someone you never had was to scrub away any evidence of them there.

It took her about half an hour to get the eggs and bacon mess cleaned up because he hadn’t used the correct pan or cooking oil. Once that was complete, she went over to her record player and switched out the album, stuffing the Kenny Chesney one in between some others so she wouldn’t be able to find it again easily.

She chose Shania Twain and the vocals filled the room. She grabbed the broom she had been using to sweep away the crumbs and pretended the end was her own personal microphone while singing every girly anthem from the 90’s. If she had to choose her favorite decade, it would have been the 90’s for sure. Everytime she listened to 90’s Shania, she felt transformed.

It was almost 5:00pm and she remembered that she’d never eaten when her stomach screamed at her again. She took a quick shower, grabbed her keys, and made her way to the grocery store to stock up for the remainder of the weekend and the upcoming work week.

Walking around the store proved to be more difficult with the bright lights threatening to make her head explode. Her night got worse when her cart ran into a stranger’s cart as she turned left out of the cereal aisle.

“Oops.” She said sweetly, moving her cart out of the way before looking up and realizing who she’d bumped into her. Her sweet voice now gone and replaced with a more annoyed, “Shit.”

“Oh, hey.” Jim said, crooking a sad smile at her.

Clearly annoyed, Pam questioned him, “What, are you stalking me now?” She was doing and saying anything to make sure this guy got a clue.

Chuckling softly, Jim filled her in. “So you know how I said I’d never seen you around before?” He waited for her nod before continuing, “Well, that’s because I’m new in town. I actually live right down the street. That paper company I worked for was in Stamford, Connecticut and it closed down, so I work here now. I am new in town as of last Saturday. So you’ll probably see me more than you bargained for.” he shrugged while waiting for her response.

Little did he know, Pam’s only response was her internal one that was yelling at her for bringing random guys home. She was such an idiot. She could have avoided this nonsense if she had just hooked up with them in the bathroom or more reasonably, gone to their place.

“Oh, okay, well that’s nice. Welcome to Scranton then.” she hastily replied, before turning her cart around to head back down the aisle she’d just exited from. Silently cursing her unnecessarily rude response and then rolling her eyes, she heard him call her name again.

“Pam…I really enjoyed last night…” Jim called after her, his voice getting louder each word as she rushed on towards the cashiers. Well, that was it, she was moving asap.


	5. Chapter 5

Monday morning, Pam sat down at her desk after spending an hour in traffic due to the thunderstorm hitting Scranton this morning. She’d spent most of the drive lost in her thoughts and the pitter patter of the rain. However, that didn’t seem to end once she’d gotten into the office like she hoped it would. Setting her tote bag down, she moved to sit in her chair and let her thoughts take her over again.

Once she’d left the grocery store, shaken up of course due to the unexpected encounter, she’d returned home, drawn herself a bath, and hydrated to flush out the residual alcohol. 

By the time Sunday night had rolled around, Pam was beginning to feel like herself prior to meeting Jim. She hadn’t run into him on Sunday and for that, she was truly grateful. She no longer felt like he was some gift sent from above, but rather some unlucky dude who she’d flirted with too hard and he had caught feelings. Pam was trying to suppress the feelings she was starting to think that she’d also caught in the process.

Here she had been, minding her own damn business when a guy who looks, acts, and talks like THAT just shows up at her place and then expects her to just be normal? She should have challenged him to a mechanical bull riding a contest. She could have ended this at the bar if he hadn’t been able to stay on it longer than her record.

Working on forgetting the nonsense, she’d spent her Sunday night lounging in a comfy t-shirt and shorts pajama set, her glasses on (and constantly sliding down the bridge of her nose), hair up in a messy do, and chamomile tea brewing on the stove. It was her attempt at a Sunday night routine. 

She’d picked up a book in her hasty exit from the grocery store prior to checking out and was reading that while curled up on her couch. She had been absentmindedly flipping through the novel, not invested in the characters whatsoever when she had heard a knock on her door.

Jumping, Pam had glanced at the clock seeing it was around 8:30pm and wondered who it was and prayed it wasn’t HIM. Shuffling her way to the door, she’d held her breath. Swinging the door open in a huff, she had to let out a laugh. It had been a teenager selling pizza for their band trip. She had put an order in, shut the door, and wondered what kind of parent let their teenager fundraise at 8:30pm on a work night. While Pam was only a night owl on the weekends, she tried to be somewhat responsible on work nights. This version of Pam was getting ready for the work week and prepping the work version of herself that she pretended didn’t exist for 48 hours each week.

The remainder of the night had been uneventful. At some point Pam had realized she had read (and reread) the same paragraph numerous times and decided it was time for bed. She’d had a tough time falling asleep (no surprise there considering her terrible sleep habits the past two nights). She once again found herself staring at her fan, watching it spin and being thankful it no longer made her feel nauseous. She wished that the teenager had actually Jim at her door coming to give her a second (or third chance?). She shook the thought out of her head, but the last thought she’d had before she’d fallen asleep was that maybe it’d be him another day.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Remembering she was at work, she snapped out of her daydreams and she booted up her computer. It was just another Monday as an office supplies sales woman at the 3rd largest office supplies company in Pennsylvania. 

It’s not that she didn’t like her job, but it had just been one to make ends meet. She hadn’t thought at 13 years old, “Wow, I really think, I’d like to go sell pens and sticky notes to people. How exciting!” The whole idea of it made her feel just as nauseous as she had felt Friday night when Jim had held her close as she threw everything up. Oh gosh, Jim. Oh gosh...she found herself stuck in her daydreams again…

It had taken another minute to snap out of it, but that was because her annoying desk mate named Blithe was asking where her head was at today and to stop staring at her. Apparently Pam had zoned out and was staring at her, making her uncomfortable. Blithe was a truly obnoxious character who always felt the need to one up Pam. But the joke was on her because Pam rocked at sales. She knew exactly what people wanted to hear. Hence, how she’d gotten a stranger to practically fall in love with her overnight. Although, she might have fallen a bit too, but that was beside the point.

Blithe pushed something towards her and Pam glanced down.

“Blithe, for the thousandth time, stop asking me to go to the convention. I’m not going, that’s your job as the assistant to the regional manager.” Pam said, annoyance evident in her voice as Blithe continues sliding the brochure towards her side of the desk cluster.

“I think you mean ASSISTANT regional manager.” Blithe energetically replied.

“I think you mean ASSISTANT regional manager.” Pam quietly mocked in a high pitched voice, laughing a bit to herself. 

“MICHELLE!” Blithe screamed before leaving Pam to actually do her work.

What a pain in the ass Monday already.

____________________________________________________________________________

Around 2:15pm, Pam was making cold calls and was hardly paying attention to her list.

“Dunder Mifflin, this is Ryan, how may I direct your call?” the man next on her list said, sounding dull and bored.

“Yes, this is Pam for All Office Supplies, may I speak with your office administrator?” Pam asked kindly.

She heard the phone get set down and a voice questioning off in the distance, “Do we have an office administrator?” She wondered if these new kids joining the workforce would ever understand to put someone on hold before asking questions like this. She had to smirk. This added some entertainment to her Monday. She kept hearing some shuffling and finally a quick, “I’ll transfer you”.

Someone picked up, cleared their voice before saying, “Jim Halpert, office administrator, how can I serve you today?”


	6. Chapter 6

Hearing his name and his smooth voice, the color drained from Pam’s face as she felt her hands go clammy. She couldn’t let him know who this was, right? She could totally lie, make up a fake name and all. Yeah, she could do that and risk her job. Avoiding an attractive man wasn’t worth that.

Deepening her voice a bit to try and throw him off the scent she started, “Uhm, hi, yes...I’m with All Office Supplies…,” Pam paused and she waited to see if Jim had recognized her voice. She couldn’t tell if he did, but he did clear his throat and waited for her to continue, “at All Office Supplies, we’re the one stop shop for handling anything you may need. For example…”

“Hey, I’m going to have to stop you right there. Do you sell pens and sticky notes? We could use those. A lot of them actually. Would you be able to drop them off today? You’re in Scranton, right? I see this is a Scranton area code.” Jim questioned.

“Shit”, Pam thought to herself.

“Uhm, yeah…” She had forgotten to deepen her voice so clearing her throat yet again, she continued, “I mean, yeah, I can have someone in our warehouse deliver them today. What can I put in for you?”

“Well you sound nice enough and I don’t think it’d be necessary for your warehouse to get involved in something as simple as pens and sticky notes. Just bring them over during your lunch.” Jim casually replied.

She could almost imagine how he looked right then. He sounded all cool and calm, he was probably leaning back in his office chair waiting to hear her response. So when she didn’t respond quickly enough, he went in for the assumptive close.

“Great, well then I will see you, Pam, later on today. Oh, what is your last name so I can make sure the correct Pam is buzzed on up.”

Rolling her eyes she mumbled, “It’s Beesly”. She was still pretty positive that he hadn’t guessed it was her based on his pretty normal reaction, but no matter that, she was terrified. He kept throwing in subtle hints such as a previous comment that made her think he was onto her.

“Beesly…,” He said quietly before pausing. She figured he was writing it down before he inevitably searched for her name on the internet to see if it matched the person he thought he was chatting with, “...alright see you soon!”

Pam quickly hung up the phone and sighed before dropping her head into her hands. 

“What? Lose a sale? You always think you’re so amaz….” Blithe began, smirking a bit.

“I SWEAR BLITHE, SO HELP ME….nevermind.” Pam said harshly as she spun in her chair to go get these stupid pens and dumb sticky notes for the not handsome at all, Jim Halpert.

____________________________________________________________________________

An hour later, Pam found herself in the parking lot of Dunder Mifflin across town. She’d never been over in this area before, though it wasn’t far from where she lived. 

She had parked a tad too close to the car residing next to hers so she had to shimmy her way out to get to her trunk where the supplies were stored.

They had slid to the back of the trunk so she had to lean forward pretty far. That’s when she heard some older man with graying hair shout to her, “Hey sweet cheeks”! Ew ew ew. Pam moved quickly towards the main entrance, equal parts chastising herself for wearing a skirt because of that guy and praising herself because she got to see Jim. I guess it meant he could see this other side of her? Not that she cared. She totally didn’t care.

Once she’d hauled the supplies into the building she asked the security guard at the front desk to ring Jim.

Not even thirty seconds later, as if anticipating her arrival, Jim came out to greet her from the elevator.

He stopped in his tracks. Well, she guessed her fake deepened voice had thrown him off.

“Surprise?” She asked, doing a ta-da movement with her hands, but realizing how flirty that was coming across and stopped short.

“Surprised is an understatement...Beesly. Although I had a hunch when you called.” Jim replied, his hand reaching up behind his neck.

Pam had to say, they both were really good at pretending to be other people on the weekends. Both of them looked shocked to see the other in work wear and well, clothes on in general since Saturday morning, not even 48 hours previously, had happened.

Not knowing what she could possibly say next, Pam questioned him. “So I thought you were a salesman, not an office administrator?” 

Laughing this time as some of the awkwardness dissipated, “Oh that, we needed someone to act as the office admin for that call and since I was the newest, I got voted off the island...or well onto it I guess.” He shrugged. Pam was beginning to notice when he didn’t have any words left to say he just...shrugged. What a weird dude.

Moving to hand the box over to him she replied, “Ah, okay, well here are the office supplies...and yeah…have a lovely day.” Their fingers brushed together as he grabbed the box from her hands. Her body’s reaction betrayed her as she gasped quietly and felt chills run up her arms. She was certain he had both heard and seen it too because he just stared back at her wide eyed a bit, appearing to be lost in his own world as well.

Pam snapped out of it annoyed that this was what, the third or fourth time in the most recent history she’d had to “snap out of it”.

She wasn’t that girl anymore. She wasn’t the kind of girl who let a guy into her life, let him love her, and then change her. She wasn’t the kind of girl who let a guy control her anymore. The last relationship she had been in had positively wrecked her. Now she was okay just being Pam. Single Pam. Single and not ready to mingle, Pam. Alone at last and thriving. Okay, she really needed to stop reading dumb magazine articles.

She turned on her heels quickly, knocking over a chair in the process, and moved to get outside as fast as she could. While shimmying back to her driver’s side door, she heard two things, a whistle from the creepy older man and Jim running out of the building yelling at her to wait a second, the supplies box nowhere to be seen.

She didn’t listen and instead got into her car, backed up as fast as she could, and drove off while watching Jim stand looking hopeless in the parking lot back at her.

She felt tears running down her face. Here was a guy who didn’t seem as bad as the others and she was pushing him away. But honestly? They barely knew each other so it didn’t make sense. Although nothing of the past few days made much sense.

What a way to wreck a Monday.


	7. Chapter 7

The remainder of the week had dragged on. Every time Pam left her house she was both nervous and curious to see if she’d run into Jim again. Each time making sure she looked her absolute best just in case. No such luck. She didn’t know if she was pleased or annoyed especially after having run into him numerous times since her initial meeting. She thought it was now destiny to run into him so when she didn’t, she thought this was the universe playing a cruel joke on her.

Counting down the minutes until it was finally the weekend and thinking of her upcoming plans, she smiled to herself and shut down her computer. This itchy pencil skirt was driving her up a wall and she was ready to get back into her weekend wear. Although this weekend might be a bit different than last.

She must have looked a little too happy and therefore out of place in her usually cold and calm office building because Blithe chimed in while staring down at her own computer that “she’d never make it far since she always left work early” or something along those lines. Pam usually tuned Blithe out when she could. 

Pam rolled her eyes and glanced at the clock, it was 5:15pm. Walking swiftly towards the parking lot and letting the door closing behind her signal the end of the work week, she headed towards her car to drive to Isabel’s apartment.

____________________________________________________________________________

After last weekend they had decided not to go out tonight but rather have a girls night. This entailed terrible romance movies, pizza, and cheap wine. Not that either of them could complain. They loved being able to de-stress after a long week whether it was flirting at the bar or judging the latest Nicholas Sparks book turned movie drama.

It didn’t take Pam long to get nearly a bottle of wine in her system. She usually drank away her work week pain in a quick fashion once Friday rolled around and now Pam was past the point of tipsy. She had spent the better part of an hour getting more and more drunk while letting Isabel know how wonderful she thought Jim was and what an idiot she was for letting him go.

“It’s just, he’s sooo cute.” Pam dragged out, taking a large sip out of her wine glass, and glancing towards Isabel. “I just...I just don’t...don’t understand why I can’t let myself like him? Is it because I met him at a bar? Is it because I like self-sabotage? Izzy, help meeeeee!” At this, Pam fell back against the couch and squeezed her eyes shut, her finger pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Well, I’ll be honest, he who shall not be named really did a number in on you. Do you remember how upset you were when you came over that night after he almost hit you? Of course you have trouble trusting guys. Of course when a decent one comes around, you’ve put your walls up. Did Jim want to sleep with you the first night he saw you? Of course he did. He was at the bar for the same reason you were. And you looked amazing, so there’s that! BUT, the way he’s acted towards you since then? That’s not a normal reaction of a one night stand kind of guy. You must have had someeee effect on him. Personally, I think you have nothing to lose. It’s been months and you deserve to be happy. You know who’s happy right now? The jackass. Why should you be lonely when you’re the one who tried to hold that shit show together?” Isabel took a deep breath after letting this all out and all Pam could do was stare at her with your jaw dropped.

“Oh, God….. OH GOD! I am such an idiot! Let me see something…,” Pam grabbed her phone, her mind clearing a bit, “Oh my gosh, Izzy” Pam looked up at her friend, wide eyed.

“What? Is everything okay?” Isabel questioned, looking worried.

Grinning and feeling more than sober, the adrenaline coursing through her, Pam looked up with bright eyes, “He put his number in my phone”.

Jumping up and exclaiming for joy, Isabel’s mutual excitement for this turn of events was contagious.

Settling down, Isabel finally said, “Pam you HAVE to call him or at least text? Set something up for this weekend. I think you at least owe him an explanation of why you’ve been so flakey.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right," Pam said, her voice shaking slightly, "okay here I go". With that Pam hit send on the call.

A minute went by and she heard a gruff voice answer, "Hello?” Oh no, she glanced down to check the clock, which she should have done first as it was nearing midnight.

"Shit," she muttered, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called".

"Wait, Pam is that you? I'm sorry I was asleep and didn't check the caller ID before I answered but what's up? Is everything okay?" He had a bit of nervousness in his voice that she couldn't place well.

"Uhm yeah everything is fine, I just saw that you added your number into my phone and uh, I was just calling to let you know that I made a mistake this week and I was hoping we can meet up in person to discuss how big of an idiot I've been being. I don't know when or if you're free or I guess if you want to even meet me and if you didn’t I would definitely understand, but I can be free anytime this weekend, like anytime at all. Does that work for you? If not that's okay, but if it does that would be really great and yeah I'm blabbering now so I'm sorry. Alright you go back to sleep or whatever you want to do, I feel kind of stupid for calling you now and you probably think I’m ridiculous and I’ll admit I’m a tad intoxicated right now and maybe this was a bad idea. Oh God. Okay, I'll get off your phone now before I make a bigger fool out of myself". Pam bit her lip and glanced up at Isabel while hitting her head lightly. She was feeling like such a dork, an idiot, and everything negative in the world. 

This random guy made her feel so gushy with her schoolgirl crush. It was actually insane for her to feel like this, but she was magnetically drawn to him it seemed. This version of Pam was very unlike the sexy woman persona she tried to fool him with prior. Well, at least he now got to see the real her.

Pam waited while there was nothing but silence on the other end of the line, nausea boiling up at the thought that she’d made herself look too desperate. Hell, maybe she was and then he spoke.

His voice sounded gravelly, tired, and worn. Yet, he sounded confident and rough, like a man finally getting what he wanted, “Pam, come over”. 

She could barely contain the butterflies in her stomach as her jaw dropped. Was this happening? Was she going to let herself do this? She glanced up at Isabel, wide eyed.

Pam was immediately ready for whatever he wanted to do. The mixture of emotions she was feeling was putting her body into overdrive and she was a woman on a mission now.

“I’ll be right over, text me your address” She practically whispered, her heart now racing. She hoped she sounded confident and sexy still, but maybe she was intoxicated just enough to give herself that illusion.

They hung up and Isabel began jumping up and down. Okay now they were acting like school girls. 

“Okay, so he’s clearly interested in some sex tonight. No man sounds like that and says what he did, then just wants to casually talk...especially at this time of night. I cannot believe I just agreed to this. Oh god…” Pam squeezed her eyes shut again, but then dialed the cab company. 

“Am I doing this, Isabel?” She questioned, waiting for the cab line to pick up. She was now pacing in Isabel’s living room, looking around widely, wondering what she had just agreed to.

“I think you are… and maybe him…” Isabel slyly said, wiggling her eyebrows, before winking at Pam.

“Oh, okay, on that note, I’m leaving.” Pam laughed while gathering her stuff. Let’s go see where this leads me.

13 minutes and 56 seconds later, not that she was counting, Pam was on Jim’s doorstep. Any sign that she had drank even an ounce alcohol tonight was gone. A problem, she thought to herself, was something to be fixed another day. She HAD drank nearly a bottle.

Feeling a bit nervous, but attempting to channel her inner goddess, she ruffled up her hair and rang the doorbell, praying that this wasn’t just a hookup, that maybe he still felt something, that potentially they could talk through this and she could explain herself and her “flakiness”. Maybe this unconventional beginning could lead to a renewal in her life. Maybe...

The door flung open and there stood Jim in a t-shirt and basketball shorts, his eyes wild with lust as he wet his lips staring down at her.

“Hey…” Pam started, hoping she came across sexy. She was so trying. It was embarrassing at this point.

Jim roughly grabbed her arm, pulling her into the apartment, and shut the door. He pressed her body against the now closed door and Pam felt her body responding to this move unlike any other way she had previously done in a relationship. This was it, she was down for the count.

He leaned down, one hand on her hip, the other wrapped in her hair while his lips grazed her ear. She felt him breathe in a few breaths before his husky voice took over, “Do you know what you do to me or what I’ve been thinking about since I’ve met you? You have me all over the fucking place. I can’t think straight. I can’t eat. I can’t do a damned thing without thinking of you and then you call me tonight. Oh, Pam, you haven’t a clue what you do to me.”

Pam was finding it difficult to comprehend all the emotions, feelings, and hormones raging in her body. She took a few steadying breaths before pushing his chest back slightly, gripping onto his t-shirt and her own eyes darkened to match hers.

“Why don’t you show me what I do to you” and with that, she pulled him back and let his mouth devour hers.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Trigger warning for domestic abuse***  
> Pam is talking about her past, so it's not about Jim!

Pam woke up in Jim’s bed the next morning feeling disoriented, battling a near migraine, and exhausted from the previous night’s strenuous activities. She reached over Jim to his bedside table and quietly grabbed her phone to check the time. It was 9:32am and she had fourteen or so texts from Isabel wondering what the hell had happened last night.

Pam set her phone down next to her and moved to lean up against the bed’s headboard. Jim was still fast asleep next to her and she surveyed the damage around the room. The bedroom door was wide open still and their clothes were thrown around the room haphazardly. She saw his shirt hanging off his TV and her bra hanging on for dear life on his dresser. Smiling to herself, she glanced down towards him. Dang, he was cute when he slept. 

She let her eyelids fall shut and tried to remember what had happened last night.

She recalled her and Jim making out against his door. His lips had continued to get dangerously close to where she would have rather them be before he picked her and her legs wound their way around his waist. He had tightly gripped her thighs while he carried her to his bedroom. She remembered the wild look in his eyes when he had undressed her. She felt herself getting warm again just thinking about it. It had easily been the best sex of her life. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t snuck out yet. Normally her body would have woken her up in the five o’clock hour of a one night stand so she could leave them behind before they woke up to find where she’d slept was cold.

Yet, here she was still in his bed with not a care in the world. There was just something about him that kept her intrigued and unmoving from her position. She wanted to know everything about him. The alcohol must have finally helped her realize this last night. She couldn’t recall when her mindset of “push this amazing man away” had switched to, “if I never see him again, I might die”. Dramatic? Certainly. Pam didn’t care though. It had been years since she had felt something remotely close to the chemistry the two of them shared.

A bit later she woke up having not known she had fallen asleep again and had slumped back down under the covers and curled up next to Jim. It was Jim’s sweet and gentle caresses of the side of her body that woke her up feeling at peace and ease. He was spooned up behind her and she’d never felt safer. His arm fell around her protectively and she didn’t want to give away that she’d woken up as the cocoon they had built around them would be broken.

She wasn’t convincing enough though because he leaned towards her ear and she felt him smile before he whispered in her ear, “Good morning.” The way his muscles had shifted as he had moved had made Pam pause as she relished this moment. This sweet, loving moment of a man she hardly knew. She needed to get to know him better so she could stop saying that.

Rolling over to face him now, she smiled before kissing him gently, these good morning kisses just as sexy as devouring each other had been the previous night.

“Hey” she replied between kisses, smiling at him.

“Hi” he said back with a smile in his voice and kissed her nose. Woah, that was romantic, she thought to herself.

Jim wrapped his arms around her waist before pulling her on top of him and kissing her more deeply. He pulled back slightly, his eyes darkening, and glanced slowly towards her lips, and back into her eyes. She felt his breath change under her.

Pam couldn’t remember a time in her life she’d felt so cared for by just a look and grabbed his face, kissing him before she could talk herself out of it.

She wasn’t sure how long they just made out, but something about this moment made her feel special and loved.

Pulling back and squeaked out that they should talk. She saw a look of concern wash over Jim’s face.

“So, I know I mentioned some of this yesterday, but I should tell you more about my life. I don’t usually do this. I don’t know why I feel inclined to tell you...there’s just something more to you and I don’t know, but I feel like there might be more to whatever we’re doing…”

At this point Jim interrupted, “Whatever we’re doing? We’re doing something?” His smug cock of a smile made her laugh before she gave him a quick peck. 

“Listen, let me get this out. This is taking a lot for me. I usually just leave, so if you want me to go…” With that comment she felt his grip tighten around her waist and gazed down at him with a smile. 

“I know I’ve been weird...I know I’m probably coming across as a total bitch…” She started.

Jim interrupted her, “You’re not a bitch…”

Pam glared down at him, “Do you want to hear what I’m saying or not?”

With that, Jim pretended to zip his lips and stared up at her with an attentive gaze.

“I’ve been coming across as a total bitch and you should know the reason why,” she took a steadying breath, willing away the tears that were bound to spring from her eyes, “the last relationship I was in was just...something else. We were going to get married. Everything was wonderful. Or I guess I tried to pretend it was wonderful. My fiance at the time used to drink a lot and would get angry about nonsense stuff. One night he came home from the bar and got mad because I hadn’t done the dishes. Towards the end of our relationship, he started to make me feel like I was his mother. I always did everything for him. 

Anyway, he came home and started screaming at me and telling me what a piece of shit I am. I remember glass flying as he threw things at me and the wall. I don’t remember much else because I ended up in the hospital. He punched me at some point and knocked me out. Our neighbors heard him and called the police. He ran from them and hit a tree. He was arrested for a DUI. Then later charged with assault. 

So at some point I started doing this thing where I would just look for hookups. I didn’t need anyone else to make me feel better about myself. I kind of already felt like shit anyway and this was my poor attempt at a band aid over it. So yeah, that’s me…” Pam finished and felt like weight was lifted off of her. Jim stared up at her, his eyes looking glassy and wide, but not saying anything.

The sheer intensity of the moment made her eyes well up. Here was a man who seemed to actually give a crap about her. So much in fact that he was feeling her emotions as if he’d lived them himself. She scooted down, so their bodies were flush and rested her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms tight around her body again and she felt herself convulse as the tears spilled out.

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay. You’re here now and I think you’re wonderful. You’re funny. You’re smart. You’re witty. You’re beautiful. You’re just everything. I don’t know why I feel this strong for you either if that makes you feel any better, but you’re just someone I can’t let go of.” Jim hugged her close and stroked her hair before pulling her face back to kiss her tear stained face. “You’re beautiful.” He reiterated.

They remained in that position until her crying ceased.

Her stomach grumbling also broke them out of their haze.

Jim laughed against her before asking her if she was hungry.

Her stomach grumbled again as his response. 

Pam giggled softly, rolled off of him, grabbed his hand, and turned towards him. “Thank you for believing in me and listening to me.” She sniffed and rubbed her eyes, feeling even more wiped out.

“Anytime Beesly, but right now let’s go calm the beast in your stomach” He replied, pulling her up. 

She threw on one of his t-shirts and shuffled out the door in front of him. Sensing that he wasn’t directly behind her, she looked behind her and saw him watching. He made a motion like he was taking a photo of her before saying, “Like I said, beautiful”.


	9. Chapter 9

They ate breakfast in a more or less comfortable silence seated next to each other at Jim’s kitchen table. They would sneak quick looks at each other, both smiling shyly before going back to eating the fresh fruit Jim had offered her. At some point Pam had opted to sit in Jim’s lap, deciding that he was more inviting than the cold chair she’d been sitting on. It certainly helped that he wrapped her up in his warm embrace that made her feel loved. Not far after, their eating had slowed down, but the kissing level increased exponentially, leaving them both wanting more.

Gingerly standing up, Pam pulled him towards his bedroom. They kissed all the way there, their hands floating over one another’s body, feeling as much as they could. Knocking into the bedroom door, he leaned Pam against it while he nuzzled his way into her neck, making her sigh. Jim moved her slowly and shut the door, locking it an attempt at some privacy, even though he lived alone.

She wrapped her arms around his torso and leaned her head against his chest, letting her eyes drift shut and took a deep breath in to capture this moment forever.

“Thank you...for just...everything and listening to me. You have no idea how much that means to me. To go through that horrible relationship and just feel so undervalued and unlovable. You have to know that it wrecked me. I’ll be honest, half of me wants to bolt right now because I don’t feel like I am worthy of you and of whatever this is.” Pam motioned between them, now staring up into his kind eyes, “You have to know that this is very new for me and...yeah. This is all just new for me right now.” She pulled back, biting her lip, and wrung her hands together.

“I am so sorry that someone ever made you feel that way, but can I tell you a few things?” Jim asked, grabbing her hand lightly and bringing her towards the edge of the bed so they could sit facing one another. “When I saw you in the bar, my first thought was damn, she’s attractive,” Pam smiled, breathing out a laugh as Jim did the same, “my second thought was she looks like an amazing person.”

“Wait, was this before or after you ignored me for the tv?” Pam poked at him, her smirk getting the best of her.

“Ha. Ha. But totally before actually” He responded and Pam tilted her head while confusion colored her face.

“See, I saw you earlier in the night with your friend. You had such a carefree way about you and your laugh seemed intoxicating. I knew I wanted to talk to you, so I went to the bar to grab a drink. That’s about the time you came up. I was waiting and was zoned out watching the tv. I wasn’t interested in any other girl there that night besides you. That’s probably why I came across, as you said about yourself earlier, “a total bitch” myself. I thought you were just another girl when you came up next to me, but then I saw you were THE girl and my heart stopped…” Jim’s voice faltered for a minute at the intensity of those last few words before speaking again, “I mean the girl that I was looking forward to learning more about…”

Pam leaned into him, feeling her body turn to mush.

“Anyway, our conversations were great and you were so sexy. I just needed to learn everything about you. I’ll be honest, I didn’t go there for a hookup and the last thing I wanted to do was make you think that all I was asking for from you was that. I know I went home with you. I was so caught up in the moment.” He reached up and brushed his hand along her cheek, before moving his fingers to wrap a strand of her hair around his finger.

Pam’s eyes must have been looking at him longingly for when he finished speaking, he pulled her towards him and kissed her lightly, then moved his lips towards her ear before speaking, “Maybe this is too fast, but this whole thing is just so different for me too. We don’t need to put a label on anything, but if you’d like to, I’d like to take you out for a date tonight.”

Pam stared at Jim as he stared back, willing herself to answer him. She was struggling as she always was with the appreciation from other people. It felt so foreign to her. She felt his thumb stroke hers lightly and she knew. 

“Yes,” She breathed out, kissing him again before letting her lips barely rest on his and spoke further, “I’d love that.”

Jim’s hands reached for the side of her face and his tongue did things to her mouth that she couldn’t even explain if she tried, but she was thrilled. She was pushing herself out of her comfort zone so much right now that she felt equal parts empowered and terrified.

They spent a bit like this, alternating between light kisses, more intense ones, caresses, and whispers before she finally pulled back.

“Okay, if I’m going to do this, I need to go home for a bit, “ She looked at him reluctantly and could tell he felt the same way, “I just want to do this right. This order isn’t right. I mean it wasn’t bad at all, please don’t get me wrong...” she winked at him then continued, “...I just haven’t been on a first date in years and want this to feel special for us, but for me. Call it my Fancy New Beesly phase or something like that.” 

Jim laughed, but stood up, lifting her to her feet as well before kissing the top of her head. “Fancy New Beesly it is. I love the new title. Is that like when royalty get married their title changes?”

“Har har. I’m leaving now.” Pam laughed as she gathered the remaining items of her clothes before stopping and looking back towards Jim, “Oh wait my car isn’t here...do you mind actually driving me home?”

He smiled at her, “I’d love to.”

____________________________________________________________________________

Later that night, Pam stood in front of her closet, with her left hand resting on her hip and the right shuffling through her options. She hadn’t been on a first date in so long that she was nearly at a loss for what to wear. 

Jim had suggested something casual. Okay, but what did that mean exactly? Did that mean a nice top and a skirt, a casual dress, nice shirt and jeans, or just a t-shirt and shorts? Okay so maybe not the t-shirt and shorts, but still. 

After a few minutes, she settled on a casual dress. It was a bit different than the attire he’d seen her in recently so she’d thought she’d give it a go. The light cotton material flowed against her skin in a soothing, comforting way reminding her of Jim’s hands on her the past 24 hours. She hoped that he liked the basic black dress with white flowers on them. It was simple and a nice cross between work wear and weekend wear, yet the conservative cousin of bar wear.

She got the response she was looking for when he rang her doorbell a short while later and she greeted him, laughing when she found him with a stunned look on his face upon seeing her. She guessed he liked the outfit.

“Hi.” She said softly, suddenly feeling very shy regardless of the antics that had taken place the night prior.

“Wow,” He cleared his throat and tried to find better footing, “You look...wow.”

Pam laughed and moved to close the door behind her before wrapping her arm around his while they walked to his car, “I’ll take wow.”

Once they were adjusted and well on their way, she turned towards him, “So mystery date night, what’s on the agenda?”

“Well, I was thinking we go hit up the bar again and see who we can go home with tonight, what do you say?” His eyes had a twinkle in them and she chuckled.

“Are you serious? I feel like you’re not, but I need to hear you say it.” Pam asked with raised eyebrows, twirling a curl around her finger

Jim looked at her, blushing a bit, “No, I want you all to myself tonight.”

Pam turned back towards the dashboard, blushing herself. He was perfect.


	10. Chapter 10

Pam found herself pretty on edge when they pulled up the Italian restaurant nearby, Cugino’s. She kept her anxiousness to herself while Jim came around to her side of the car to open her door. She gave a half smile, trying to show her appreciation for the nice gesture. She didn’t want him to think that she was snobby because she was feeling lightheaded due to the location. 

She felt herself shaking as she walked in, no longer feeling hungry, but not wanting to disappoint Jim and make him feel like this was the worst first date ever, because it wasn’t, it just...there was a past here and she didn’t know how to bring that up. She felt a lot of old Pam flooding back to her the more she let her guard down.

Pam walked just behind him as the hostess led them to their table. They were seated and Pam was spending her time anxiously looking around her wondering if HE was here, ready to ruin her life once again.

This was the first time she had set foot in Cugino’s since her last first date many years ago when she’d been with Roy. She recalled that she had similar emotions then as she found herself experiencing now sitting across from Jim. She had been hopeful, feeling light and airy, feeling full of life. Had she known what Roy would have done to her, she would have never agreed to a first date. She guessed that was her punishment for agreeing to go on a date with a stranger she met on the internet.

Pam was examining her emotions and found herself feeling those same positive, lovely feelings for Jim and now being in this restaurant in addition to the butterflies, put her in a weird headspace.

“...Pam?” Jim asked, moving his head down from where he was speaking to the waitress to look at her in a concerned manner. “What would you like to drink?” He questioned, looking at her confused.

She snapped out of it having not realized that they’d slipped into the comfortable booth. Wait, she remembered it, it was just a few minutes ago, yet felt like ages. What a contrast this booth was to the one they’d been in together last weekend when they were just two strangers looking for someone.

“Uh, I’ll have water with lemon please?” She said almost making it sound like a question.

“I’ll do the same, please” Jim said charming the waitress as she walked away to grab their drinks. “Is everything okay? You seem a little on edge.” Jim questioned her, reaching his hands across the booth to hold her hand.

These small gestures reminded her once again that he was nothing like Roy and that this relationship or whatever this was wasn’t like that one either. She was Fancy New Beesly or something so she decided to be honest with him. 

“Uhm, the last time I was here was a first date with you know...him...and…” she trailed off as she watched Jim slide out of the booth and put a $5 on the table.

“No problem at all, let’s go somewhere else. I want you to be comfortable.” He reached for her hand and led her out of the building and back towards his car, his hand moving to her lower back as they reached the doors, to guide her out.

They sat in silence for a few moments in his car and Pam let Jim break the silence. “So, what’s your opinion on bowling? I hear they have great nachos at the snack bar, plus you can kick my ass at the game.” He looked at her with a glint in his eye. 

Pam sighed, laughing, feeling the palpable tension evaporate between them, “That sounds like the perfect date to me” Pam said as se reached over the console to hold his hand, brushing her thumb along his. This was becoming a normal occurrence and one she was certainly okay with.

“Yeah, I’m pretty bad at bowling so you might have a chance at really beating me at it” He laughed back, roughing up his hair a bit when he ran his hand through it. Pam couldn’t look away when he did things like that. She felt the butterflies return.

Attempting to hold her laughter in, but snorting instead Pam asked, “Do we need to put up the gutter rails for you or is that too much?” 

“Oh, that’s some serious sass, Pam. Now I want to kick YOUR ass at this game just so you don’t get so cocky!” Jim pulled into the parking lot, their laughs intermingling now. The bowling alley hadn’t been too far away from Cugino’s.

Jim moved to get out of the car, but Pam pulled his hand and looked at him intently before whispering, “Come here” and kissed him. She pulled back slightly and whispered her thanks, “I’m sorry for dinner, but thank you for that.”

Jim leaned in with a quick peck on her lips before proving her point that he was wonderful, “this is what matters now.”

____________________________________________________________________________

An hour later, a few beers, cheesy nachos, and two games completed, Pam was feeling ultimately victorious as they began their third game, “Okay, so this is your redeeming game, right? Here, let me show you how to not get a gutter ball.” Pam laughed, slipping behind him when he got to the start of the lane. “So, you see, you pull your arm back here…” She wrapped her hand around his forearm, pulling back gently, “...and then you release here.” At that, Jim let go of the ball and let it slowly make its way down the alley before falling into the gutter. “Well, it works for me, don’t know what happened to you!” She laughed, snorting in the process. “Ugh, I hate that snort…” Pam let out a sigh, slightly laughing out of awkwardness as she tried to recover from it.

“I think it’s very cute.” Jim said as he strolled to face her mere inches away, placing both hands on her face and kissing her gently. “I’m having a really great time.” he whispered as he pulled back.

Pam smiled in response and took her turn bowling ultimately getting a strike. She turned around slightly smug, “Maybe you’re my…” Pam paused and her face went white.

Jim had taken a seat, but at the sudden shock on her face, he’d stood up again rather abruptly, moving towards her.

Yet, not far behind Jim was her literal nightmare staring her down with a similar smug look and with that, Roy joined their group. 

“Pammy, looking hot as always. How ya doing, babe?” He asked casually as if he’d never attempted to destroy her soul and make her feel like nothing.

Pam couldn’t move if she had tried, she felt her stomach churning and adrenaline pumping through her veins. Her fight or flight response came in and she felt herself sweating. She grabbed her bag and started to move towards escaping this most dreaded situation.

“Come on, I just wanted to join your game with your little friend.” Roy chuckled as he moved closer towards her, trying to block Jim in the process. Pam was trying to find an escape route and began moving quicker before Roy darted right in front of her, grabbing her arm and leaned down, “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you.”

Pam felt the tears welling up, “Roy...Jim?” she choked out, feeling like Jim was a million miles away and not the foot in distance that he actually was from her.

Jim was in his face at the realization that this was THE Roy. Pam felt relief as Jim tried to move his body in between her and Roy’s in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

“You need to let go of her arm” Jim said, his voice deeper and less friendly than she’d experienced before.

“Pshh, she’s mine, I can do whatever I want to her.” Roy laughed harder and Pam tasted blood in her mouth from biting her cheek, frozen with fear. 

She tried to rip her arm from his grasp so she could get away, but Roy gripped her tighter and she knew she’d have bruises tomorrow.

Jim spoke louder, “YOU NEED TO LET GO OF HER AND LEAVE HER ALONE. NOW.” This outburst garnered the attention of the staff and several patrons. The manager quickly made his way over to the group and before Roy could say anything, Jim continued, directing his attention to the manager, “He is harassing her and needs to leave.”

The manager turned back towards Roy and asked him to leave the establishment or he would call the police. The manager certainly wasn’t blind to seeing the near death grip on Pam’s arm.

“Yeah. Okay. Bye, Pam. See you later.” He winked, turned around, and strolled out of the bowling alley. Once he was gone, Pam felt a strangled sob escape her lips and ran to the bathroom.

Pam had been certain that Roy had moved away and had been relieved when she thought she’d never see him again. She had put her guard down and he’d found her, ready to wreck her life again. She had been in the single person bathroom for a while when she heard a soft knock on the door. She wiped her nose, glanced in the mirror and saw that her mascara had run halfway down her cheeks. She opened the door an inch and saw Jim’s sweet smile on the other side. She opened the door more, allowing him in and locked it once again. 

He pulled her into his embrace and hugged her close, whispering that everything would be okay in her ear. “I’ll stay at your place tonight with you. If you want, of course. I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

“Yes. Please. Thank you.” She cried harder into his shoulder, her body shaking as she came down from her adrenaline rush.

The last memory Pam had in the bowling alley was how terrible this first date was. The next thing she remembered was a cup of steaming tea being set down in front of her and a blanket being wrapped around both her and Jim with his body heat making her feel warm and safe.


	11. Chapter 11

A week had passed since their run in with Roy and life for Pam had returned to feeling somewhat normal. Her and Jim’s relationship had taken off in the last week. It felt like they’d been together for years. Pam had spent nearly every waking (and asleep) moment with Jim. Most of those moments had been wrapped up in one another in either of their beds. They still made time to talk though. Their biggest chat had been working through the bullshit that was their date the week prior, about Pam’s relationship with Roy, and how it all had turned her so sour towards relationships. 

In this new relationship, she felt like a Blue Morpho butterfly emerging from the cocoon she’d harshly wrapped herself into. Like the Blue Morpho, all people could see (unless she gave them a closer look) was equivalent to a dull color that could camouflage her deepest insecurities and fears. She used to show people the vibrancy about her until Roy broke her. Yet, now she was opening up again. She was allowing Jim to see the vibrant blue of her wings spreading as she felt free to be herself again.

During her painful moments, when she’d weep, Jim held her close, reminding her what it felt like to be cared for, to have someone’s arms around her, and make her feel...loved, but it was too soon for love...

Right now, Pam just wanted to focus on distancing herself from the party girl version of herself. She was coming to terms with the fact that while she was quite good at scoring a Saturday night lay, she didn’t really want to be that person anymore. She genuinely wanted to be the kind of woman who had one man all to herself that could make her feel everything time and time again. At one point she had been, until she hadn’t, due to no fault of her own.

It was now Saturday night and she found herself practically molded around Jim’s body as they felt each other up on his couch. She’d never been like this with anyone in her life. So in tune to someone else’s body and their needs, wants, and desires. It was an intoxicating concoction and she wanted to drink it up everyday for the rest of her life.

“Damn, Beesly, you’re really trying to wear me out, aren’t you?” Jim questioned before taking her bottom lip roughly between his. This elicited a moan from Pam and he gave her a throaty laugh at her body’s response to him.

Pam backed up a bit, her eyes half shut, the look and feeling of lust overtaking her as she stared into Jim’s equally darkened eyes. 

“Not to ruin the mood or anything, but what are we?” Pam asked, moving to sit back on her heels. “What is...this?” She motioned between them.

Jim gave a slight half-smile before resting his hands on her hips, running his thumbs along the slim bare patch of her stomach. ‘I want...whatever you want.” He said. 

Pam could feel the resistance in his voice. She couldn’t blame him either as she hadn’t given him much to work with since they’d met and had been a true pain in the ass for the last few weeks. So she gave him something to work with.

Scooting closer and wetting her lips, she took a steadying breath. Pausing and glancing down at his lips, then up to his eyes which were burning a hole into hers, she moved forward to graze her lips against his before pulling away just enough that hers were resting on his. “Well, personally, I want you. So if you want the same, then take me.” Pam whispered, an octave lower and almost delicately upon his lips.

Pam didn’t have the chance to take another breath before Jim was lifting her off of the sofa and into his arms.

“I want all of you, forever, everyday” Jim managed to get out between kisses and walking her down the hallway.

“Wait…” Pam responded, her head pulling back slightly, just a tad out of reach for him to kiss her comfortably. “One, did you just quote the Notebook to me and two, what do you mean “forever””? 

The scared, lost look that crossed Jim’s face as he clearly debated on whether to put her down or answer her questions and continue their advance to his room gave Pam butterflies. She knew the answer, but she needed him to say it. Needed to hear it herself. In a flash, his face went from terrified, to confident and sexy again as he moved her so she slid down his body, making contact with nearly every inch of the front of him. 

When her feet touched the floor, she wobbled a bit. Jim steadied her and wrapped a hand into her curls, moving to speak equal parts loving and rough into her ear.

“One, yes, that movie is cute as fuck and so are you. Two, you’re it for me, Beesly. Absolutely it. I don’t know if that’s weird or scary to hear, but you need to hear it. I want every part of you foreverrrr” he drew out as he let his tongue slide down her neck from the back of her ear to her collarbone.

Pam knew it too. He was absolutely everything she’d ever wanted. It was crazy though, right? They’d only known each other a few short weeks, yet they’d spent so much of their time just laughing, talking, making love, fucking, and memorizing everything they could about one another. It was an absolute dream and so was he.

“I want you forever too” Pam whispered back to him and felt him backing her into his room at her response. 

“Pam, tell me what you want right now.” Jim questioned her, needing to hear her say she wanted, no, needed him endlessly.

Breathless and feeling dizzy she let her body tell him before her words did. She turned them so his back was against the wall next to his bedroom door and a few feet away from his desk. She pressed herself against him, letting the weight of her body drive him a bit wild first.

“I want you to kiss me hard against this wall and then show me how much you want to be with me in your bed.” Pam practically moaned her response to him, already feeling the build up of pleasure just from the intensity of this situation.

“Yes, ma’am, you got it” Jim replied turning her over roughly so her back hit the wall and his lips collided with her neck. She knew she’d have marks there in the morning that would be visual prove of their rough love fucking.

____________________________________________________________________________

When the morning came, Pam rolled over to see a beautifully sleeping Jim. He was sexy as hell, but also beautiful in the sense that he looked peaceful, content, and well, sweet. She moved quietly out of bed and examined herself in his dresser mirror. A mirror, she thought to herself, that could be used for many other adventures down the road. Nevermind that though, she looked like a disaster. Her appearance was evidence of the activities that had taken the night prior and her neck, like she suspected, was marked by Jim.

Running her fingers over the bruised skin, she smiled to herself. Normally, she’d be horrified, but it was him and it was so tortuously sexy. Whatever...she’d wear a scarf in the meantime.

Pam’s body was adjusting to the morning and in turn moved slowly across the hardwood in Jim’s room towards the door. While not at home, she wanted to keep her weekend routine somewhat so the work week didn’t come crashing down on her.

Now in the hallway, she passed items of discarded clothing she hadn’t even realized came off while making their way to his bedroom last night. She headed towards his radio and found it already tuned to 101.3. “So, he really does love country music.” she thought to herself. Making sure the volume was set on low, she heard an older Shania song start up as she headed towards the coffee maker.

Am I dreamin' or stupid?  
I think I've been hit by cupid  
But no one needs to know right now  
I met a tall, dark and handsome man  
And I've been busy makin' big plans  
But no one needs to know right now

Pam couldn’t help thinking this song was made for her. Shania was speaking to her through a syndicated radio show and she didn’t care. It felt perfect. No one needed to know that she knew Jim was the one. She knew it in her heart. When she compared him to Roy, he surpassed her ex in every possible way there was. He cared about her, who she was, what she liked, and even when he didn’t have all the answers, he still tried. Which truly was the biggest key factor in holding her heart.

The coffee maker finished brewing and she leaned back against the counter, mug in hand, hair disheveled with Shania singing in the background.

I'll tell him someday some way somehow  
But I'm gonna keep it a secret for now  
I want bells to ring, a choir to sing  
The white dress the guests the cake the car the whole darn thing  
But no one needs to know right now

She wasn’t sure where they would end up, but she knew for certain he was her life long line dance partner. But first, she’d have to learn how to line dance. She only went to the country bars for the men anyway.


	12. Epilogue

One year later…

Pam rolled off of Jim, satisfied and completely exhausted.

“Damn, babe that was hot as hell.” Jim said, willing his breath to steady. “Easily the best sex of my life.” He continued as he wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead before they dripped onto their bed.

Rolling over to face him, Pam’s eyes still dark and almost begging for another round, she leaned in close to give him a kiss before saying, “I don’t know, you say that every time. So really, who knows?” She laughed as his right eyebrow shot up and he moved his head to face hers.

“It’s not my fault that I have the world’s sexiest girlfriend. I swear to you it truly does get better every time!” Jim leaned in to kiss her right back and they found themselves getting worked up again heading towards yet another spectacular finale.

____________________________________________________________________________

A year had passed since they’d started seeing each other. During that time, they’d both quit their mediocre jobs and moved to Austin together to restart their adult lives. However, they had traveled to Scranton for a few days to visit their friends and family. 

They loved their little life in Austin, but always enjoyed making their way back to their roots. Scranton no longer felt like the place where she’d emotionally died. It now felt like a place of her rebirth.

Tonight they were meeting Isabel and her new boyfriend at the bar Pam and Jim had met at a year ago. Both were excited as they felt they could relive those memories. 

“You mean to tell me you don’t know how to line dance? Pam, what on earth were you doing at a country bar with no experience or desire to learn how to line dance? That’s just sacrilege!” Jim questioned her as he turned the wheel of the car into the parking lot.

Pam had to laugh at this before responding, “I’ve told you a million times, I went to pick guys up. Have you seen the guys that go to country bars? Rather have you looked in a mirror, because talk about my type.” She winked at him as he put the car in park.

Jim ran his hand through his hair that had been roughed up earlier in the day. “Have you looked in the mirror yourself? Because, damn.” His voice had lowered and he leaned in to kiss her. They got a bit lost in their own little world and were startled out of their oasis with a swift knock on the window.

“PAAAAAM!” Isabel practically screamed at her. Oh boy she was already tipsy. This should make for an interesting night, Pam thought.

“Maybe if we don’t move, she’ll go away.” Jim whispered to her.

Laughing and grabbing her bag, Pam opened the door to embrace her friend and boyfriend of six months. “IZZY! I missed you!” High pitched squeals coming from both girls. 

“Girl, I’ve missed you! Let’s go get a drink!” Izzy linked her arm around Pam’s and it felt like old times, but the biggest and best difference being that Pam didn’t feel like she had to put on a show in the bar to get someone to go home with her.

Jim hung back introducing himself to the new guy and followed the girls in.

____________________________________________________________________________

“Wait, you don’t know how to line dance?! Are you kidding me Pam? How long have we been coming to this bar and you never got out there?” Isabel looked at Jim then back to Pam in disbelief at the truth bomb Jim had just dropped. “Well, we’re changing that now.” She grabbed Pam’s hand and dragged her to the dance floor. “So just follow that guy up there.” she pointed towards what was designated as the front. Pam noticed a cowboy hat, flannel wearing man about her age walking people through the different moves.

With Luke Bryan singing “Country girl, shake it for me”, Pam lost herself in the dances and wondered why she’d never let herself go like this when she’d been here before, but remembered her end goal every time she ventured here never allowed for distractions.

At some point she’d realized that the dance floor had cleared some and she heard the music quiet. Coming back to her senses, she saw Jim standing at the DJ microphone. Stopping short, Pam quirked her eyebrow at him, silently questioning what the hell he was doing.

“Hi...uhm can everyone hear me?” Jim started while waiting for the “Yeah’s” to subside. “So, uhm, none of you know me, but I have a few things to say.” Jim started walking towards Pam while continuing to speak with his eyes locked on hers. “A year or so ago, I met a beautiful girl here. Incredibly gorgeous actually…” A few guys at the bar started hollering and whooping. 

“Anyway, she was and is perfect.” Jim stopped in front of Pam. She realized her breath had caught and her pulse was racing. “A year ago, I was just a guy with a crush on a girl who’d been hurt. She didn’t let me in and why would she? We were strangers. I had these little moments from the night that we met. We ran into each other a number of times right after we met and it just felt like…” He stopped, looking for the right word and grabbed Pam’s hand. He ran his thumb gently over hers and found the word he was looking for. “It felt like fate if I’m honest. I felt like I’d known her my whole life. Before Pam, I’d been single for a long time. I’d come to the bar, looking for nothing in particular and I ended up finding my forever.” With that, Jim still holding her hand, lowered to one knee. Both of their eyes glistening, he cleared his throat, “Pam will you marry me and be my forever?” Jim reached in his pocket for the ring box and opened it up. 

Gasping, Pam’s tears began flowing freely. Nodding frantically, she pulled Jim up and crushed her lips to his before pulling back slightly to whisper, “Yes.” Jim moved to put the diamond ring on her finger then pulled Pam flush to his body. 

He was her forever. She’d never expected to find him here, but the best love stories never started from what was expected. Her past had been rough, but Jim had been her anchor, holding her steady. Forever was staring back at her and she leaned her forehead against his while the clapping and cheering around them registered. 

“My forever” Jim said, nuzzling her ear.

Grinning, Pam answered. “Absolutely.”


End file.
